Play Gomoku (Five in a Row) Online in Kenya

Standard Gomoku: exactly five in a row on a 15×15 board, with the fair Swap2 opening. Free play or staked from KES 50.

  • Game length: 10 min
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Entry: free or from KES 50
  • Time control: 5 min + 5 s

Play Gomoku now

How to play Gomoku

Be the first to place exactly five of your stones in an unbroken line — across, down or diagonally.

Setup

  • 15×15 board, empty at the start. Who places the opening is drawn at random.
  • Black moves first in Gomoku, which is a big advantage. Swap2 decides fairly who gets which colour.

Swap2 opening

  • The first player places three stones: black, white, black — anywhere on the board.
  • The second player then chooses one of three options: take White and place the 4th stone; take Black, so the first player plays White and places the 4th stone; or place two more stones (white, then black) and hand the choice to the first player.
  • After the third option, the first player picks Black or White. White places the 6th stone.
  • Tip: when you place the opening, aim for a balanced position. Your opponent will take whichever side looks better.

Playing

  • Once colours are settled, players take turns placing one stone of their colour on an empty point. Stones never move and are never captured.
  • Exactly five in a row wins, for both colours. Six or more in a row (an overline) doesn't win, but it isn't illegal either.
  • If the board fills up with no five in a row, the game is a draw. You can also offer a draw at any time.

Time

  • 5 minutes per player plus 5 seconds per move. The clock also runs while you place opening stones or make a Swap2 choice.
  • Running out of time loses the game.

Rule set: Standard Gomoku on a 15×15 board with the Swap2 opening (Gomoku World Championship rules).

Gomoku FAQ

How do I play Gomoku on Arena254?

Create a free account, open Gomoku from the Games page and challenge a player or accept an open challenge. Be the first to place exactly five of your stones in an unbroken line — across, down or diagonally.

Can I play Gomoku for money in Kenya?

Yes. Staked Gomoku matches start at KES 50. Both players' entries go into a pot; the winner receives the pot less a service fee of 15% (Casual), 12% (Pro, KES 200+) or 10% (High Stakes, KES 1,000+), paid to your Arena254 wallet and withdrawable to M-Pesa. You can also play free.

Is Gomoku on Arena254 fair?

Every move is checked by our servers — the browser can't change the result — and matches are screened for cheating, including engine use, bots and collusion. Suspicious accounts are reviewed by a person and banned if they cheated.

How long does a game of Gomoku take?

About 10 min. Time control: 5 min + 5 s.

What rules does Arena254 use for Gomoku?

Standard Gomoku on a 15×15 board with the Swap2 opening (Gomoku World Championship rules). The full rules are on this page.